TAMPA, Fla. - Tyler Johnson scored three goals and the Tampa Bay Lightning snapped a 10-game losing streak to the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 4-3 win Tuesday night.Tampa Bay, 3-5-1 in the last nine games, also got a goal and two assists from Nikita Kucherov. Ondrej Palat had three assists in the Lightnings first win over Pittsburgh since Nov. 17, 2011.Johnson scored twice in the first and extended the Lightnings lead to 4-0 at 2:37 of the second with a 2-on-1 goal against Jeff Zatkoff, who replaced Marc-Andre Fleury earlier in the period.Patric Hornqvist, Chris Kunitz and Kris Letang scored for the Eastern Conference-leading Penguins, who have 13 players out due to illness or injury. It was Pittsburghs first regulation loss to an Atlantic Division team (16-1-5) since a 5-1 defeat Jan. 20 against Florida.RANGERS 4, CAPITALS 2NEW YORK (AP) — Rick Nash and Martin St. Louis each scored twice, Henrik Lundqvist made 30 saves and New York extended its winning streak to seven games with a victory over Washington.The game matched two of the NHLs hottest teams in their final outing before the Christmas break. Washington had won three in a row, picking up points in nine straight games (7-0-2).Mats Zuccarello and Derick Brassard had two assists apiece for the Rangers.Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin scored for the Capitals in the first meeting of the season between the Metropolitan Division rivals.BRUINS 5, PREDATORS 3BOSTON (AP) — Loui Eriksson and Brad Marchand scored two goals apiece and Patrice Bergeron had three assists for Boston in a win over Nashville.David Krejci also scored for the Bruins, who held the Predators to 10 shots through the first two periods. Tuukka Rask made 22 saves for Boston.Calle Jarnkrok and Taylor Beck each had a goal and an assist for Nashville. Becks goal 6:48 into the third period pulled the Predators to 4-3, but Rask didnt let anything else by him as Boston won for the third time in four games.CANADIENS 3, ISLANDERS 1UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) — Carey Price made 37 saves, and Andrei Markov and Brendan Gallagher scored second-period goals as Montreal cooled off New York.Markov, in his 800th NHL game, and Gallagher beat backup goalie Chad Johnson 5:17 apart to erase a 1-0 deficit. Montreal has won five of six, with Price allowing two goals or fewer in each game during that span.David Desharnais scored with 1:11 left to make it 3-1 for the Canadiens, who mustered only 21 shots.Kyle Okposo scored in the first period for the Islanders. Johnson made 18 saves as No. 1 goalie Jaroslav Halak took a maintenance day and didnt dress for the game. New York, which had won four straight overall, fell to 13-4 at home and 10-2 in its last 12 at Nassau Coliseum.JETS 5, BLACKHAWKS 1CHICAGO (AP) — Mathieu Perreault scored two goals while extending his point streak to eight games, and Winnipeg routed the listless Chicago Blackhawks.Bryan Little also had his team-best 13th goal as Winnipeg stopped Chicagos eight-game home winning streak. The Jets are responsible for two of the Blackhawks four regulation home losses, also winning 1-0 at the United Center on Nov. 2 in their first meeting of the season.Winnipeg (18-10-7), one of the NHLs biggest surprises, won for the third time in four games, bouncing back from an overtime loss to Philadelphia on Sunday.It was the Blackhawks worst loss of the season; they have only three losses by more than one goal. Chicago (23-10-2) had won 14 of 17 overall.Marian Hossa scored his seventh goal in the second period, but the Blackhawks struggled to generate quality chances. Jets goalie Michael Hutchinson finished with 38 saves.HURRICANES 2, DEVILS 1, SONEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Chris Terry scored the only goal of the shootout and Anton Khudobin came up big late in winning for the first time this season as the goal-starved Carolina Hurricanes defeated New Jersey.Ron Hainsey scored in the third period to tie the game for Carolina, which won for only the second time in 10 games (2-7-1). The Hurricanes have just 13 goals during that stretch and Hainseys appeared to go in off his leg on a night when Carolina fired 33 shots at Cory Schneider.Stephen Gionta scored for the Devils, who are 3-8-5 in their last 16 games. Schneider made 32 saves.Khudobin, who had 18 saves, stopped Scott Gomez, Mike Cammalleri and Adam Henrique in the shootout before Terry beat Schneider with a forehand. Khudobin is 1-8-2 in 11 starts.FLYERS 5, WILD 2ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Wayne Simmonds scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period, lifting Philadelphia over Minnesota for its third straight win.Vincent Lecavalier, Claude Giroux, Sean Couturier and Michael Raffl also scored for the Flyers, who have won the first three games of an eight-game road trip that spans 15 days.Marco Scandella and Charlie Coyle scored for Minnesota, losers of four in a row.Simmonds broke a 2-all tie with his team-leading 15th of the season at 15:22 of the second period, beating goalie Darcy Kuemper high after teammate Brayden Schenn battled along the boards to secure the puck.The Flyers are 6-1-3 in their last 10 games.MAPLE LEAFS 4, STARS 0DALLAS (AP) — Jonathan Bernier made 43 saves for his second shutout of the season as Toronto beat Dallas.James van Riemsdyk had a goal and two assists for the Maple Leafs, who snapped a three-game losing streak.The Stars four-game winning streak ended when they were shut out for the first time since Jan. 9 at New Jersey.Nazem Kadri opened the scoring with a goal 55 seconds into the game, and assisted when van Riemsdyk scored at 6:21 of the second period.Phil Kessel had two assists, the second on Tyler Bozaks power-play goal at 10:30 of the second. Mike Santorelli finished the scoring with an empty-net goal.Berniers save total was one short of his season high. He has nine career shutouts.RED WINGS 6, SABRES 3DETROIT (AP) — Tomas Tatar had a pair of power-play goals in the third period and Detroit ended a six-game slide with a victory over Buffalo.Tatars 13th goal of the season gave the Red Wings the lead for good with 8:20 to play. Johan Franzen scored a few minutes later to pad the lead for Detroit, which hadnt won since Dec. 7. Tatars second goal came in the final minutes.Stephen Weiss, Danny DeKeyser and Henrik Zetterberg also scored for Detroit, which got 10 saves from Petr Mrazek.Nicolas Deslauriers, Chris Stewart and Andre Benoit had goals for the banged-up Sabres, who were missing eight regulars due to injuries or illness. Michal Neuvirth returned from an illness and had 33 saves.COYOTES 5, OILERS 1EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Sam Gagner had two goals and two assists against his former team as Arizona handed Edmonton its eighth consecutive defeat and 19th in 20 games.Martin Erat, Keith Yandle and Brandon Gormley also scored for the Coyotes, who won for the third time in their last 13 games — with all three victories coming against Edmonton. Arizona (12-18-4) swept the five-game season series.The Coyotes extended their point streak against Edmonton to 18 games, the longest in franchise history against one opponent. Their last loss in regulation to the Oilers came on Jan. 25, 2011.Justin Schultz had a goal for the plummeting Oilers (7-21-7), who fell to 1-17-6 against Western Conference opponents.AVALANCHE 5, BLUES 0DENVER (AP) — Semyon Varlamov returned from an injury and stopped 26 shots in his second shutout of the season, leading Colorado past slumping St. Louis.Jarome Iginla, Alex Tanguay and Ryan OReilly each had a goal and an assist for Colorado, which has won three in a row and is 4-0-2 in its last six games. The Avalanche (13-13-8) reached .500 for the first time this season.Varlamov, who had missed six straight games with a groin injury, faced only seven shots in the first period and eight halfway through the game. He made 12 saves in the third to earn his 15th career shutout.Jake Allen allowed five goals on 31 shots before being replaced by Martin Brodeur to start the third period for the Blues, who have lost three straight.Erik Johnson and fellow defenceman Zach Redmond also scored for Colorado. . For Sweed, a second round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008, this will be his second go around in the CFL after previously having spent time with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. . Team officials did not indicate the extent of the injury Saturday, simply listing Rose with "left knee soreness." Rose has played two preseason games without any sign of problems. The first NBA game in South America now will be missing its biggest star.
https://www.cheapkingsbasketball.com/69 ... s.html.The rookie goalie made 36 saves to help the Calgary Flames blank their Pacific Division rivals 1-0 on Saturday following a 48-hour ordeal that included lost baggage, a cancelled flight and a new pair of contact lenses. . This week, topics cover the World Series champion Red Sox, John Farrell and what to look forward to this off-season. . Billy Hamilton finished off Cincinnatis biggest comeback of the season for a doubleheader sweep.Each week, TSN.ca Fantasy Editor Scott Cullen, NFL Editor Ben Fisher, and Isaac Owusu discuss three hot fantasy football topics. Will Marc Trestman be benching a QB1 in Josh McCown when Jay Cutler returns healthy? Cullen: For the last three weeks, yes, Josh McCown has been performing like a QB1, but that alone does not a QB1 make. Prior to this unexpected bit of brilliance from a 34-year-old journeyman, McCowns last 300-yard passing game was in September, 2007! That said, I could easily justify the Bears riding the hot hand until its not hot anymore because the NFL is unrelenting and the Bears can ill-afford to take a game or two for Jay Cutler to find his form. Of course, in addition to being unrelenting, the NFL is a business, and when prospective free agent quarterback Jay Cutler is ready to return, expect the Bears to go back to him, as a conditioned reflex – remember, starting quarterbacks dont lose their job due to injuries…at least not to a 34-year-old backup, but ask Alex Smith, the story is different if that backup is Colin Kaepernick. Fisher: I agree with pretty much everybody else that going back to Cutler over McCown at this point would be a mistake on Trestmans part, but Ill stop short of saying hes benching a QB1. McCown averages out as a QB1 over the past four weeks but thats largely aided by his tremendous Monday Night performance this past week. His five starts previous to that, McCown ranked as a high-end QB2. His journeyman status makes it hard for me to believe hed continue putting up 30+ point games like he did against the Cowboys if given the chance, but hes still a tough QB to lose for fantasy teams. Owusu: In a word, yes. But, its not so much about the guy taking the snaps, but the guy calling the plays. Trestman has put together an offence that would appear to be at the centre of a controversy, but unlike the Alex Smith/Colin Kaepernick situation in San Francisco last season, his coaching staff and players have stood firm in supporting the injured Cutler as their starter. Chicagos quarterback position, whether it be (a healthy) Cutler or McCown, remains worthy of a start this deep in the fantasy playoffs, due to having what can be argued as the leagues most talented receiving corps, featuring Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Matt Forte and Martellus Bennett. Its almost an expectation that whoever is throwing the ball would rack up 200+ yards and at least two touchdowns. In fact this season Cutler has had five of those games and McCown has had four, coming off his third straight 300+ yard passing game. The main concerns with Cutler would be a matter of him being fully healthy going into the game and getting back in sync with the plethora of weapons at his disposal. The latter shouldnt be a major concern, as evidence by the 250 yards and touchdown pass he threw in his Week 10 return (before leaving again to yet another injury). This deep into the season, with all the implications, fantasy owners would prefer the Bears keep the hot McCown out there, but even if Cutler comes in, there shouldnt be a downgrade in performance. Also, owners should consider that this week the Bears are in Cleveland, a team that hasnt held a QB to under two touchdowns passes since Week 5, so whichever quarterback the Bears turn to should be a dependable option and all the Bears receiving targets remain must-start status. Trust in the quarterback whisperer, Marc Trestman. Has Cordarelle Patterson proven enough for a fantasy playoff team to take a flyer on him? Cullen: Patterson had a breakthrough game last week – five catches, 141 yards and a touchdown – and he is probably the most dangerous Vikings receiver for the rest of the season, but he had one catch for four yards in Week 12 and still has Matt Cassel throwing to him, so there are reasons to be hesitant on Patterson. I have him ranked at 35 for Week 15, which puts him on the edge of either WR3 or FLEX positioning. Fisher: Nope. One good week does not a starter make. Patterson has looked better in recent weeks, highlighted by his 20-point performance in Week 13, and I think hes got a shot at being a solid WR2 next season, but he still has Matt Cassel throwing him the ball. I cant rely on Patterson to score more than eight or nine points per week (his previous season-high) the rest of the way and that isnt going to cut it for a playoff team. Owusu: The reguular season is three games away from completion and it almost appears that the Minnesota Vikings finally figured out how to use the elusive receiver that they traded up to pick in the draft.dddddddddddd Patterson is worthy of taking a flyer on based on the increased attention that hes gotten. Heading into Week 5s bye week, Patterson only saw 2.25 targets per game, however in the nine games following he has seen that number boost to 5.5 per game, and garnered 7.75 looks in his last four games. In last Sundays wild matchup against at the Baltimore Ravens, Pattersons seven targets and five catches was one thing, but then there was the 114 yards he gained after the catch. Patterson has shown that he is Mr. High Risk/High Reward with the ability to turn the smallest plays into large gains, similar to another guy who once wore No. 84 for the Vikings about a decade ago. Patterson is not just a threat on offence but special teams as well, so if youre in a league that rewards individual players for their returns along with their catches and rushes then Patterson should appeal to you as a low-end WR2 or a definite Flex going forward in the playoffs. The Vikings are at home against the high-powered Philadelphia Eagles and will likely not have their star running back Adrian Peterson, so expect them to be playing a bit of catch up in this game, and Matt Cassel should keep looking for the blossoming receiver. For the Gronk owners, which replacement will prove more valuable: Dennis Pitta, recently returned from a hip injury; or Jacob Tamme, filling for Wes Welker in the slot in Denver? Cullen: If forced to choose for the rest of the season, I prefer Pitta, because in his first game of the season for the Ravens, he was targeted 11 times, tied with Marlon Brown for most on the Ravens against Minnesota. There is also the matter of sustainability. Tammes value is tied to Wes Welkers concussion and if Welker returns at some point in the next few weeks, that would dramatically cut out the looks that Tamme would presume to get in the slot. In Pittas case, hes a good bet to be a prime target for Joe Flacco over the rest of the season. Fisher: I think it depends if youre playing the short game or the long game. I think Tamme, filling in for a concussed Wes Welker in the slot in Denver, will have a more productive Week 14 in what should be a high-scoring Thursday Nighter. Tamme had four catches on five targets in a little more than two quarters action; thats a handsome stat line projected out to a full game. If youre a semifinals underdog, he might be the way to go to secure a spot in the finals at all cost. But if youre playing the long game, Pitta, who returned from injury to put up a double digit point total in his season debut last week, should be able to supply two productive weeks, as where Tamme could become useless in Week 15 if Welker returns. Owusu: As appealing as it is to take an available Peyton Manning target in Jacob Tamme, the answer for this week, next week and however long your fantasy playoffs may last is Dennis Pitta. Throughout his career, the Baltimore Ravens tight end has been a safety net for Joe Flacco. Pitta was projected to be a top-five pick at tight end prior to his injury and in his first game of the season last week he rewarded owners who took a chance on him in the playoffs with six catches for 48 yards and a touchdown. The worry about Pitta initially was the expectation for him to be on a limited snap-count, but he made the most of the 11 targets that came his way. Tamme was a pleasant surprise last Sunday filling in for the injured Wes Welker, seeing six targets and pulling in four catches for 47 yards. On the field, theres always a chance that teams forget about Tamme while theyre busy focusing on Mannings three other fantasy studs Eric Decker, Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas. Tamme should see some involvement in the Denver Broncos explosive offence Thursday night, but expectations for his value to be greater than Pittas for Baltimore should be tempered. Though Pitta was in for 36 snaps, two of his 11 targets came in the red zone. Facing the Detroit Lions who have a sweltering run defence, theres a tall order for Flacco to deliver in the passing game so expect a good dose of Pitta. Unless its a Percy Harvin type of setback, he should see increased work as a means for the Ravens to make a playoff push. ' ' '
